Innocence
by I Will Not Follow
Summary: Sequel to 391 Miles Until the End... Four are alive, two are dead, two are on the verge of death, one is missing, and the other believes they're living in another world. What do they all have in common? Sure, they're all injured, but they're all heartbroken by the tragedy that has befallen them as well.


_"These wounds won't seem to heal, this pain_

_is just too real..." My Immortal by Evanescence_

* * *

Dark storms clouds gathered overhead, shadowing the gloomy day more than it already was. Tiny droplets of rain descended from above, creating miniscule dots on the sidewalk. A crack of thunder boomed overhead, causing the mourners on the ground below to cringe in fear and surprise. Their faces were incomprehensible, but there was one emotion in everyone's eyes: sorrow. There seemed to be twenty to thirty people gathered to weep over the tragedy that has recently occurred. No one ever saw it coming.

A black SUV pulled up to the edge of the woods. The engine roared for a few more moments before dying abruptly. The door slowly opened, and a teenage girl cautiously stepped out. Her dirty-blonde hair was singed at the edges, and her jade-green eyes looked weary and gloomy. A thin white bandage was wrapped around the top of her head, and another bandage was coating half of her left arm. She limped a few steps forward, trying not to put pressure on her right ankle, which was obviously sprained.

The girl turned around and extended her hand towards the van; another pale hand reached out and wrapped around the girl's wrist. Another teenage girl slowly got out of the SUV. She leaned against the car and propped her right leg up in the air while taking her crutches out of the car. The girl had fiery-red hair asymmetrically cut, but not intentionally. Her jade-green eyes, exactly the same shade as the other girl's, were full of tears not yet released. She had multiply bandages where her skin was exposed. The two girls stood side-by-side, waiting patiently for the other passengers.

A boy with dirty-blonde hair struggled to get out of the car from the other side. The driver, a burly man with steely eyes and curly black hair, rushed out of the car. The man removed another pair of crutches from the car and handed them to the teen. He didn't say anything, but the look in his emerald-green eyes conveyed his gratitude. He limped his way over to the two girls. He glanced at the girl with dirty-blonde hair, and a look of protection appeared in his eyes before leaving just as swiftly as it had came. The girl with fiery-red hair looked jealous, but was quick to hide her emotions behind an expressionless facade. The last person, another teenage girl, sighed in pity as she got out of the car. Her shoulder-length raven-black hair seemed as though it had been longer, but was cut off unexpectedly. Her black eyes, as dark as the night, matched her hair color. She walked over to her friends, her left leg trailing behind her.

The four teens all exchanged looks of regret and sadness before making their way over to the area of the oh-so-familiar woods where the funeral would be held. Everyone except the girl with black hair seemed to be reliving memories as they looked around. Some had looks of happiness, wonder, but mostly fear. When the girl not experiencing memories gave the others questioning glances, their faces gave way to fear. The girls all wore simple knee-length black dresses and only one black flat. The dresses were the same; none of them brandished accessories. The boy looked uncomfortable in his plain black tux. The driver, who was also their bodyguard, followed a few steps behind them. When they reached the funeral grounds, they attracted loads of attention. No one said anything, though; everyone just watched the crippled group limp over to the families of the lost ones. The teenagers and the parents exchanged a few words, then bowed their heads in silence.

Three white coffins were lined up on the left side of a small stage in the middle of the clearing. Three portraits were standing next to each coffin. In the portraits were three teenagers: in one was a boy with scruffy dirty-blonde hair and ice-blue eyes, looking very professional in a navy-blue suit. In the other was a girl with straight brown hair and twinkling brown eyes standing in front of an ancient-looking terracotta house with a maroon roof. The last portrait displayed a girl with curly blonde hair and shimmering sapphire-blue eyes sitting in a field of flowers. Rose bouquets were place on top of each coffin.

A short, bald man walked up to the podium set in the middle of the stage. He tapped the microphone twice, cleared his throat, and spoke the one sentence that made everyone's hearts wrench inside-out.

"We are gathered here today to mourn the deaths of Jerome Clarke, Joy Mercer, and Amber Millington."

* * *

**A/N: Hello, yes, I'm back! :D First I'm going to say that I'm really, truly sorry for not updating more often! Life's been hectic. :O I hope you enjoy reading this sequel as much as I have imagining it. :)**

**Next up on _Innocence..._**

**"I don't know how much longer I can put up with this..."  
**

**"She _died, _okay? She _died!_"**

**"Will he ever wake up?"**

**"His heart rate is slowing down; it may stop altogether any day now..."**

**"She might be out there somewhere! We have to find her!"**

**...**

***Infinity times infinity***

**-I Will Not Follow **


End file.
